Disclaimer:

All intellectual and property rights of Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. Manga and anime rights belong to whomever holds them for each country or region. The world of Love Hina is being used without permission. No profit is being made. If you recognize it, it belongs to Ken Akamatsu. If you don't recognize it, there is still a strong chance it belongs to Akamatsu. The seldom and rare things that Akamatsu doesn't claim as his own and could be construed as mine I release to Public Domain. And, of course, Kick-Ass belongs to Mark Millar.

This work was not beta read. If you, the reader, find anything in error, feel free to let me know and I will endeavor to fix it if I can. As such, thank you for making this better for the next reader. Those who wish to beta read this story merely has to let me know.

The rising sun washed over the roof deck of the Hinata-sou, bathing the sparring duo in it's rosy light. Motoko spun out from a block, and went to sweep Keitaro's legs from under him, but he hopped over her attempt then ducked her follow-up strike. He then went to tackle her, but Motoko rolled back, under him, and used her legs to throw him off. The two quickly regained their feet. Motoko with a flip and Keitaro from a roll.

They stared, panting at each other, having been at it for an hour already. The sound of clapping startled the two, neither having noticing Shinobu's presence. "Au, Sempai, you're getting so good."

"He he he," Keitaro scratched at his head. "Thanks, Shinobu. Really, though, I think Motoko was taking it easy on me." Motoko snorted but said nothing.

Keitaro noticed the young girl twiddling her thumbs. "Did you need, something?"

"Au ... Your month is done today. I made you a special breakfast to celebrate."

Keitaro rubbed his head as he thought hard. "Has it already been a month? Hadn't seemed that long."

Shinobu nodded. "I marked it on my calendar. One month, thirty days."

"Thanks, Shinobu. I might have forgotten all about it."

Contrary to what the rest of the girls were expecting, Motoko hadn't mercilessly beat upon him. Instead, she had taken the time to teach him and worked tirelessly on his form and speed. They couldn't have him practice with tonfa, so he learned to use a boken.

Motoko sighed. "We might as well stop for breakfast, so we can have time to prepare for school."

Keitaro followed the girls down, thinking. 'A month. And now it is Tuesday. Maybe I can patrol again after school?I'll have to see what Motoko thinks.'

When they got down Shinobu shooed them off to bathe first. "You still have to wait on the others anyways, before you can eat, and no one is up yet – and you two smell."

Once Keitaro finished cleaning up in the little room he was given to use, and soaking in his barrel, he got dressed and wandered down to breakfast. Along the way, he managed to hear Naru's voice and began to daydream, causing him to miss a step on the stairs and to come crashing down upon the object of his crush.

"Keitaro!" Naru screamed before punching him back up the steps.

"Sorry," he plaintively cried as he flew away.

"Harrumph."

Soon they were all sitting around the table and Keitaro was happy to see all of his favorite breakfast foods arranged on it. Smiling, he started to fill his plate.

"What's up with you?" Naru asked kindly.

Keitaro looked up to answer, but then noticed she wasn't looking at him. Following her gaze, he saw a despondent Kitsune.

"It's nothing ... Just no one has seen Dumb Ass in a while and the rumors are saying he was probably eliminated by the mob."

"Well, the idiot had it coming. Really, you gonna be sad for that loser?" Naru scolded her best friend.

Keitaro shook his head. "Cheer up, Kitsune. Maybe he ... uh ... found himself a girl and retired?"

Half the table snorted.

Kitsune rolled her eyes. "He didn't strike me as a quitter. Pretty girl or not."

Surprisingly, Motoko brought her hand to Kitsune's shoulder. "I am sure he's just biding his time for a grand return. Now that he stirred up a hornet's nest, he can follow them back to their hive."

Naru looked scandalized. "You really are a fan! Motoko, what are you thinking?"

Motoko glared. "I am thinking that a friend is sad and needs cheering up."

"Whatever, can we talk about something else, now?"

Keitaro swallowed some food. "Well, my grades have been steadily improving. Yay me!" Since he had to keep up appearances, Keitaro was spending his two nights a week out at a library working on problems at his own pace. It was doing him good.

"Something other than how less pathetic you are," Naru grumbled.

Keitaro actually had a good day at school. He felt more confident after a month of sparring and it carried him forward. He got to laugh with Haitani and Shirai, didn't grow anxious over a pop-quiz as his recent studies had him feel prepared, and he was looking forward to after school.

"We gonna go get some beers and watch the Tokyo Tigers game at a bar. Wanna come with?"

Keitaro shook his head. "Sounds great, but I already have plans."

Haitani nudged Shirai. "Look at him, pretending he has a hot date. Probably just going to rot in front of some video games or anime, all alone."

"Actually," a girl's voice sounded from behind the pair, "he's helping me with something." Motoko's stern visage glared at the two as they turned around.

Gulping, Haitani gave her a little wave. "How's the comics coming?"

Shirai nodded. "Did you look into that recommendation."

Motoko nodded. "The new lady Thor amuses me."

The boys nodded. "Well, look at the time," Haitani said as he checked his watch. "Better go before we miss the first pitch."

Watching the two scamper off, Keitaro shrugged. "What's up?"

Motoko looked around. "Not here."

As the two left, neither noticed Naru peeking around a bank of lockers, watching them, a frown on her face.

Out on the street, the two walked quietly until Keitaro cleared his throat. "Good thing you're here. I was thinking, with the month done, that I'd try patrolling again."

Motoko nodded. "That's why I came."

Suddenly, a loud noise came from a nearby shop. Keitaro recognized it as the pawn shop he had wandered into months earlier. "Crap, I still didn't change yet."

"No time," Motoko hissed as she pulled him along with her. "We'll just have to be concerned citizens."

They carefully entered the front door and shuffled behind an aisle. Crouching, they made their way towards the back, where a man with a knife was threatening an old lady.

"Stay hidden," Keitaro whispered to Motoko.

"What are you going to do?" she hissed back.

Keitaro smirked. "Something really stupid." Then he crawled out and stood up. "Hey, what's going on in here?"

The robber turned around, brandishing his blade. "Fuck. Stop right there or I'll cut the old bird."

Keitaro held his hands up. "I don't want any trouble, man. How about we talk this out. I'm sure we could come to an understanding."

"Shut up!"

Keitaro shook his head in disappointment. "Why must you harsh my cool, man."

The man with the knife looked at Keitaro like he was an idiot. "What? What the fuck? Are you out of your mind? Just shut up or I'll cut you."

Keitaro looked around and saw a nearby candlestick. He picked it up. "Hey, I'm just here for the candlesticks." Then he held it out. "Shut up or I'll candle you ... Hmmm, not as cool as how you say it. Could you say it again?"

The man growled and stalked up to Keitaro. "Kid, you're gonna be in a whole world of hurt." He then jabbed the blade at Keitaro, who spun the candlestick and parried the knife. The guy then swung the blade for Keitaro's head, which he duck with a shout, "Motoko, now!"

Motoko then dashed out and swung her boken hard down upon the thief's head. He crumpled to the floor at their feet.

"Oh dear," the old lady exclaimed. "Thank you so much, you two." She then peered closer at Keitaro. "How's the suit working out for you?"

Keitaro wasn't sure if he heard a knowing tone in her voice. "Just waiting for ski season, Granny. Thanks for asking. Got any rope. We can tie him up until the police arrive."

The store owner tittered. "I don't think he'll be any problem, now. But would you mind waiting with me until the police arrive?"

And so Keitaro and Motoko waited for the police to arrive, then gave their statements. Each explaining they were on their way home from school, that Motoko was in the Kendo club, and yes Keitaro was quite foolish but he trusted Motoko's skills. Once they were done, and the police made Keitaro promised to not be so reckless in the future, much time had passed and Keitaro's stomach growled.

"I am glad to see you're safe, but it's time we left." Keitaro smiled at the old lady.

She tittered. "Come back again, young man. Maybe you'll find something useful, again."

The two left, to go looking for a beef bowl. "Man, I needed that," Keitaro confided to Motoko.

She nodded. "How do you know that proprietor?"

"I bought my Cool-Man costume from her." Motoko raised an eyebrow. "Alright, my Dumb-Ass costume." Keitaro sighed.

"She had a superhero costume?"

Keitaro shook his head. "Naw. It was some sort of military ski suit. I dyed it blue and added some bits."

She grunted. "You did good in there. And you didn't do anything to give away our secret."

Keitaro nodded. "I just wish we could practice my tonfa."

"We'll have to get away from the inn for a weekend ... to spar away from distractions is what we could tell them."

Keitaro rubbed his chin. "That's good for you, but why am I there?"

Motoko grinned at him, "So I have a dummy to beat on. ...It will be a good opportunity for me to finally master and perfect the Evil Cutting Sword technique. So fine tuned must one's chi be that a master could cut an evil possession without harming a living being. I'll need to get away someplace with out the usual distractions if I want to get it right."

"That sounds ... well, when would we ever encounter ghosts?"

Motoko merely rolled her eyes in sufferance and lightly bopped Keitaro on the head.

After dinner, they suited up and wandered the dark alleys, but didn't find too much trouble that night.

"The police patrols have died down over the month ... it seems too quiet, don't you think?" Motoko mused.

Keitaro shrugged. "Most nights, I didn't find any crime. I remember it took me a month to find my first one."

"Oh, the one where Kitsune was drinking at the bar."

"Actually," Keitaro smiled her way, "that was number two. The first time, I surprised a couple guys trying to break into some store. I got stabbed, then ran over by a third guy in a sports car, which made them all run off. Store stayed safe, so I counted it as a win."

Motoko boggled at her landlord. "You got stabbed and hit by a car and you count that as a win? Most people would be dead ... maybe you really are a superhero?"

Keitaro shrugged. "Naw, I just got lucky, was all."

Motoko sighed and shook her head. "It's like you have nine lives ... promise me you won't waste them all, OK?"

"Aww, I might actually think you cared." Keitaro stuck his tongue out at his companion.

"Idiot," she retorted with a smile. "Of course I care. Superheroes have each other's back. Right?"

Keitaro nodded happily. "Right! Especially with the dramatic entrance when things look bad for our hero. Surprise! Another hero."

"It does seem that's how things worked out for us, before." Motoko shot him a knowing smile.

"Maybe this time I'll wait in the shadows for a dramatic entrance and you get their attention first."

Motoko snorted. "Tripping on your own feet and rolling in is not dramatic."

Keitaro chuckled. "Come on, you said something about following the hornet's back to their nest? Should we go stir up some? Where would we start?"

Motoko shrugged. "We'd have to stop some crime first. Interrogate some of them. I guess."

"We need some device that detects and tracks crime. I bet Su could make one, but she'd be suspicious on why I'd want one."

"Hmmm. That's not too bad of an idea. The device, I mean."

"So," Keitaro looked around the empty streets they were walking down. It was a quiet residential part of town. "Nothing suspicious here. Shall we try the entertainment hot spots? Or something else? Maybe the train stops?"

Motoko shrugged. "I am sure there's a drunken hooligan or two by the night clubs. But, they would not really be true criminals. We need to look into the real problems. Things us girls have to worry about you perverted guys. Those who force them into prostitution, slave rings, brothel owners, and so on."

Keitaro grunted. "Yaks. All the drugs, pimps, and thugs are bound to be organized by some crime lord. Probably someone in Tokyo who has a captain or whatever they call themselves here to supervise the local affairs."

"Come, let us find a brothel and start stirring up hornets."

Keitaro skidded to a stop. He looked at his partner in disbelief. "You want to go to a brothel? Just walk in, dressed like this? Then what? Beat up everyone? Tell the girls 'run away, you're free now'?"

Motoko blushed, not that Keitaro could tell with her mask on. "We have to start investigating somewhere, or, more like be a nuisance somewhere to see what happens next."

"I don't even know where any are!" Keitaro threw his hands into the air in despair.

Motoko shrugged. "Maybe if we hit up a few Love Hotels ... those are pretty seedy to begin with. I bet if we asked, well if you asked, about how to 'find a quick fling for the night' that someone will oblige."

"A Love-Hotel? Are you nuts? My luck, I'll find an undercover police officer posing as a pimp and get arrested for solicitation. Wait, is that what it's called?"

Motoko sighed. "You got any better ideas? Just walk in, buy a room, start asking if the room comes with any options. Wait, is that how you guys do it?"

"How would I know? I never been to one, before. And alone? Without back-up? What if I stumble in on the Yaks. And hey, now the news can report on rumors of me going to Love-Hotels. As if they don't bad mouth me enough already."

"Hmm." Motoko lapsed into thought. "I suppose there's no way around it. We'll have to both go in, no costumes. We can just get a feel for it tonight. Start being seen as regulars. Get them to trust us."

"What?!" Keitaro was pole-axed in shock.

"It doesn't mean anything," Motoko sternly and angrily replied. "We're not going to do anything. Just make them think we are."

"Oh. Ah ... Right, then. Um ... Let's go get changed."

The two kept walking out of the residential area until they came upon a store closed for the night. Behind which they went to opposite sides of a trash dumpster. Motoko had a duffle bag so she could keep her own and Keitaro's change of clothes in.

"Don't even think about peeping. Don't let this give you any ideas."

"Peeping? I'm more worried about getting caught going to a Love-Hotel. Naru's gonna murder me in my sleep."

"Stop being such a whining baby. Man up."

The two got changed, with the dumpster between them.

"Alright, ready" Keitaro called.

"Another moment, please."

Then, the two returned to the street, walking, looking like a couple out for a stroll. Motoko with her duffle holding their costumes and her sword. Keitaro blushed and scratched his head. "There's a few near all the bars and such."

Motoko shook her head. "Too upscale. We'll want the seedy looking places. Maybe there is some where you have a lot of salary-men working very late."

"Mmm, there is the business district, then."

Motoko nodded. "My thinking exactly."

"We can take a train to get there, it's only a few stops." Keitaro was quite familiar with the mass transit system, as he used it daily to go to cram school with Naru.

"That would be good. We should try to behave like a couple. That will be our ruse."

Keitaro nodded. "Right, so what should I do?"

Motoko bopped him on the head. "How should I know, I never been a couple before."

"What? And you think I have?"

Motoko rolled her eyes. "Just ... hold my hands or something. ... Not now, you idiot."

Keitaro chuckled nervously. "Sorry."

"Pretend you're still in costume, with that fake confidence of yours. Like earlier when we stopped that robbery. Do what you see the other guys on the train doing."

"So, grab your ass when you're not looking?" Keitaro snarked.

"Only if you want me to cut it off," Motoko deadpanned. "Just hold me close, or something. Whisper into my ear. You know ... like a real man."

Keitaro shook his head. Then, he thought of something. "Oh crap. How do we not get arrested since you're, you know ..."

"What?" Motoko asked heatedly.

"Underage," Keitaro shamefully replied. "I don't think they'd sell us a room, probably call the cops on us."

Motoko palmed her face and grunted in annoyance. "You dolt. Guys are bringing young girls to these things all the time. As long as the hotel is making money, they don't care."

"Oh. Uh, well I guess that won't be a problem. ... Hey, how do you know?"

Motoko blushed and looked away and mumbled something.

"I didn't hear that."

"I said ..." she sighed, "A couple classmates have bragged in the locker rooms, and you read it a lot in romance novels."

Keitaro goggled at her. "You read romance novels? But I thought you hate all things physical."

"Just because I don't like perverts does not mean I don't like romance. I'm still a girl."

"Sorry ... it just seems so feminine a thing."

Motoko growled. "You don't think I can be feminine?"

Keitaro waved his arm, in a panic. "No, no, I didn't mean that. It's just ... you ... uh ... Hey, look, the train stop. I'll go buy us a pair of tickets. Wait right here." Then he ran off.

Motoko glared at his retreating back. "Moron!" Then her visage softened to one of worry and concern. "I don't know how to be a girl."

After walking around quite a bit, it was nice to take the train. Motoko still carrying her duffle bag. Keitaro with his hand timidly around her back. "Relax," she told him in a low voice. "Hold me like that guy is holding his girl."

Keitaro gulped and slid his hand down a bit to rest on her hip. "Like this?" he nervously asked.

Motoko laughed and leaned over, like Keitaro had told her a joke. She smiled and kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear, "Yes. Now relax and pretend we're dating."

Keitaro blushed. He turned to look up into her eyes. "You look beautiful tonight, darling."

Motoko smiled and nodded her head. "That was a lovely dinner."

"Yes, it was. Maybe the dessert will be better."

Motoko blushed and looked away. "You're such a cad." She then leaned into his embrace and rested her head on his. "Careful, don't over do it." she whispered.

Keitaro watched their reflection in the window, wondering if that was how others would see them. They looked like a normal couple. Keitaro grew pensive and thoughtful. 'Is this what it would be like to have a girlfriend?'

"Penny for your thoughts," Motoko asked as she followed his gaze to their reflection.

"Huh?" Keitaro blinked and looked at her reflection's eyes. "Oh, just daydreaming, I guess."

She smiled and laid an arm around his shoulders. "Happy thoughts, I hope."

"About the future, I suppose." Keitaro averted his eyes.

"You better be seeing me in it."

Keitaro glanced around; no one seemed to be paying them any attention. "Of course, sweetness. You're my best girl, after all."

Motoko giggled. "What's our stop again?"

"I think the next one."

They fell into silence for the short remainder of their trip. Holding hands they disembarked from the train and walked the platform towards the exit. Once the train left their sight both immediately released the other's hand.

"Oh god that was so awkward," Keitaro complained as he shivered.

Motoko frowned. "You better not be getting any ideas about me, you lecherous lout."

"Hey," Keitaro cried in indignation, "it was you're idea to begin with."

"Yeah ... well ... you did a good job."

Keitaro sighed. "Thanks, you too. Come on. Let's go get this over with."

"Tired of my company already?" The smirk on her lips told the panicking Keitaro that she was having him on.

"Naw, it's just a school night." He pulled his lower eyelid down and gave Motoko a funny look.

She giggled. "Dork!"

It took some walking, but they found themselves in front of a seedy Love-Hotel. "What a dump," Keitaro remarked when he first saw the place.

"Come on. Let's check it out, keep our eyes and ears open. See what we find."

Keitaro nodded. "What's our cover?"

"Huh?"

"You know, like in the movies. What's our story? Why are we here."

Motoko frowned cutely as she thought about it. "Well ... You look like a young and stressed salary-man. Maybe you're skipping out of a late night for some needed ... stress release."

Keitaro frowned. "What does that make you? Some chick I picked up in a bar?"

Motoko shook her head. "I'm too young for that. Maybe ... some one who, you know, dates older men because they buy her nice things." Here she blushed, scandalized.

Keitaro looked confused for a few moments, then dawning horror crossed his face. "Can't we come up with something better? It sounds like a bad romance book."

Motoko glared. "It's the most believable. Also, being a bit nefarious will help us get into the circles we want to find."

Keitaro sighed. "OK, OK. I still think it sounds like a bad crime drama or something."

"Just follow my lead." Motoko took his hand and pulled him into the building. She walked right up to the desk and smiled at the old man behind it. "Hey, got a room vacant? We'll only need a couple hours."

The man grunted and rung them up. "Cash only."

Motoko smiled sweetly at Keitaro. "Come on, sugar-plum. Pay the man so we can get right to it."

Keitaro smiled giddily. "Sure thing." He dug out his wallet and paid the man who handed over a key.

"Third floor, to the left." The old man pointed towards a ratty looking elevator.

"Thanks." Keitaro took Motoko's hand and pulled her to the elevator. Once they were behind its closed doors he turned on her. "Now what? The lobby was empty and we are no more the wiser."

Motoko shrugged. "I wasn't sure what to expect. OK. We'll just hang out for a couple hours and see what develops."

The room was basic and surprisingly clean. There was a tiny bathroom with a cramp shower. Keitaro pulled the drawer out on the night stand. It was full of condoms. "Ack!" He shoved the drawer shut.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for clues," he replied unsure.

"Did you find any?" She came over to the night stand.

Keitaro pressed his hand against the drawer. "Not exactly."

Motoko rolled her eyes and used an arm bar to throw Keitaro onto the bed. She then pulled the drawer open and snorted in amusement. "What did you think you would find in a place like this?"

Keitaro blushed. "A list of brothels or something like that?"

"Dumb-Ass."

Keitaro smirked. "Man-in-Black."

"Don't make me hurt you."

Keitaro laid back onto the bed. "Don't take this wrong, but I'm a bit overwhelmed and intimidated. I mean, what if we do find some kind of Yak front. Then what? We can't take on the whole mob. Can we?"

Motoko shrugged. "There's strategies in battle when your foe has the advantage in numbers. The best is to divide out easier to manage groups and defeat them instead of trying to do the whole at once."

"Still. I can't help shake this feeling that this was all a bad idea."

Motoko sat on the bed beside him. "You think you're uncomfortable? I abhor places like this."

Keitaro's expression softened into concern. "Sorry, how selfish of me. I didn't even think about what this would be like for you. I just assumed, since it was your idea, that ... Just, sorry. You know, if you're not comfortable, we can leave."

Motoko shook her head. "No, we're here now. I want to see this to it's end."

"Are you sure?"

"As long as you don't get any funny ideas." She scowled.

Keitaro raised his hands, "Hey, I won't even move from this spot so I don't trip or anything."

Motoko looked away, then stretched herself out besides him. "This is so surreal."

"Yeah, I never thought I would ever be in a place like this. And I would never had thought you'd be the one I was here with."

Motoko blushed. "I have."

"Huh, what?!" Keitaro choked.

"I meant that I been thinking about where to look and what to try for a while now. Since we were not patrolling, I was trying to think of how we could be more effective."

"Oh!" Keitaro relaxed. "You been planning this then? That makes sense. I mean, I don't think it'll work, but it's more than I have ever done. I just walk around hoping to find trouble."

Motoko nodded. "Exactly. It looks so easy in the comics and all. But in reality, you can't just stumble on crime. We need to be more proactive. Hunt it down, stalk it, sniff it out. We are going to have to descend into the scummy underbelly of Hinata Springs and learn to move among the world of professional criminals."

"You make it sound so easy. I don't think I can pretend to fit in ... I never felt like I ever fit in anywhere."

Motoko shrugged, her shoulder rubbing against his. "You'll adapt and get use to it."

"Or die trying, literally," Keitaro said grimly.

Motoko sighed but said nothing.

"I don't think we'll find anything out tonight." Keitaro frowned as he stared up at the ceiling.

"It's OK. I think if we show up here time to time, and a few other places, then we can start digging. Just got to get them to be unguarded by taking us for granted."

Keitaro hummed in thought. "What would we even ask that would not sound suspicious?"

"We could ... imply we're looking for a third, another girl. Something to spice it up a little. That should lead us to a pimp. And once we can meet a pimp, a couple of superheroes will be paying him a visit. Find out who he works for. We just need to lay the ground work first."

"That makes a lot of sense. How long have you been thinking about this? Sounds like you put a lot of thought and planning into it. I feel bad now. I hadn't done any planning at all."

Motoko looked over at him. "It's fine. You have entrance exams to prepare for, an inn to run, and a lot of demands on your time. I'm more free."

"No, it's not fine." Keitaro frowned. "You've hinted there's some kind of family politics you want to prepare for, and your sword work you want to perfect. You're just as busy. I'm going to do my fair share too from now on."

"When, exactly would we be able to meet up without rousing any suspicion?"

Keitaro gestured around him. "We got two hours now. Why not put it to good use."

Motoko giggled. "We'll probably be the only pair of people to sneak off to a Love-Hotel to plan crime fighting strategies."

Keitaro snorted a quick laugh. "When you put it that way ... Heh, you know. This rocks. I didn't realized how miserable my life really was until I started doing all this."

"Oh?" Motoko sat up to look down at him in concern. "Why were you miserable?"

"I don't know. I think it's because my life was going nowhere. Nothing good was coming of it. But now, I feel like I'm actually doing something meaningful. I feel ... empowered."

Motoko smirked. "And all you needed was for thugs to hit you. Maybe you are a sort of pervert."

Keitaro laughed. "Honestly, none of them hold a candle to you and Naru. I mean, don't take this the wrong way, but you girls toughened me up to where I rather be in a life or death fight with hoodlums than be on the wrong side of a Naru-Punch."

Motoko face fell into a soft frown. "What does that say about us, then? I think I owe you an apology."

"Naw. It's alright."

Motoko shook her head. "But maybe it shouldn't be alright?"

"Hey, it wasn't all bad times. Naru has these moments – where she does something incredibly thoughtful, or she smiles just so. And everyone else, we have our fun times too. It's like a family, you know?"

"Yeah, I do. Still, if you weren't such a clumsy fool, always finding yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, you wouldn't have to be punished so much."

Keitaro laughed. "Yeah, that's me. I'm not luckless 'cause I have plenty and it's all bad."

Motoko settled back down and returned to staring at the ceiling with Keitaro. "Still, if I had to be a superhero with someone, I'm glad it is with you."

"Yeah, I can't really see any one else at the dorms being crazy enough to try. Well, Su is just plain crazy, so I am surprised she hasn't yet."

Motoko nodded. "She is very impressionable. Best make sure she doesn't get any ideas."

"Probably drag everyone else into it. Suddenly there will be 'Punch-Girl' and 'Wilting-Chef' running around while 'The Magnificent Mecha' rains terror from her flying turtle and 'Sake-Breath' tries to scam the mob out of money and sake."

"What a scary thought!"

"Is it selfish of me that I don't want to share this with them? To have something small that's just mine ... and yours?"

Motoko shook her head. "I feel the same way. And as long as you admit I'm the better superhero, then we'll never have any problems." She snickered.

Keitaro smiled at her. "We both know you're better at this. A better fighter, and now a better planner. Is there anything you're not better than me at?"

"You're better at making girls angry at you, and you're better at shrugging off damage like you were hit by raindrops."

"Only one of those is something to be proud of, if it were true."

Motoko sighed. "Idiot."

"I never said 'Thank you,' did I?"

"For what?"

"For training me, putting up with my talentless self every morning ... and just for being a kind of friend I really needed."

Motoko turned on her side and rested a hand on his chest. "You're not talentless. You show potential to learn martial arts. I think in a year or two, you'll be superb. And I needed a good friend even more, so I should be the one thanking you."

Keitaro blushed, then turned onto his side. He looked into Motoko's eyes. "I guess I ought to tell you ... I really need to go to the bathroom." He then stuck his tongue out at her. Motoko lightly bopped his head as he got up and went to the bathroom.

While he was in there, Motoko strained her hearing to the room on the other side of the wall, as she did not want to hear or think about Keitaro going about his business. She blushed when she realized it was the sound of love making. 'Why couldn't it be some gangsters planning a drug deal or something useful like that?'

The sink turned on, then off, and not long after Keitaro walked from the bathroom. He looked like he was about to say something, but he managed to trip and fell head first into Motoko's cleavage. Keitaro heard her growl like a rabid dog. "Hey, want room service? I think I'll run down and see if they got anything."

But before he could reach the door, Motoko commanded, "Stop!"

He, guiltily, turned around. "It was an accident, I swear."

"Don't be stupid. A place like this? There's no room service unless maybe it's ... a girl! No, it's too soon. We need to be ready."

"Uh, isn't that the point of this? So we could meet someone who could answer questions?"

"I'm not ready yet!" Motoko groused. "If I can't even bring myself to ask the questions, we'll blow our cover."

"What kind of questions?"

"Just – hey how did you get into this? How can I? Do you make good money? Things like that so she would introduce us to her boss. Or even just 'Hey, we're looking for a good time. Know anyone that can hook us up?' Anything to find out who pulls her strings, and who pulls that person's strings, and so on up the line."

Keitaro rubbed his chin. "Is it wise if such people see our faces? That seems dangerous."

Motoko nodded. "We'll have to work on disguises. Maybe next week, when we do this again. We can spend the time working on such."

"Have any in mind?"

Motoko blushed. "I'll have to buy some different ... uh ... you know."

Keitaro's clueless face infuriated her as he screwed it up to think. "Wigs?"

"Underwear, you idiot. I need to look more like a tramp."

Keitaro blushed and looked away. "Maybe you could try for something else."

"Don't be ridiculous. And get back here before you trip again!"

Keitaro nodded and carefully approached the bed. "So, we keep doing this, preparing, until you feel ready to take the next step?"

Motoko blushed and looked away. "You'll have to be ready to. More Casanova and less loser. You can't keep blushing like some virgin who can't get any."

"But I am a virgin. I don't even know where to start."

Motoko sighed. "Read some romance novels, you dunderhead. And don't get any ideas, we're not going to actually sleep with anyone."

"With our luck, it'll probably end up being Kitsune working off some bar debt or something."

Motoko snorted. "With her, I could almost see that happening."

"She drinks too much; I'm concerned for her."

Motoko nodded. "Me too. Nothing we can do, though, until she admits she has a problem."

"Basically, never."

"Sadly."

Keitaro sighed. "I guess you got stuff figured out for now?"

"For now."

Keitaro rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Next week, I'm bringing a book."

"Remember, romance."

Keitaro shrugged, the feeling of his arms sliding along Motoko's sending tingles up his spine that confused him. "I'll have to find a good one, first. I could go to a bookstore on my way home tomorrow, after school."

Motoko blushed. "Maybe you could ... pick me one up to?" Her voice softened into a shy mumble, but Keitaro heard her anyways.

"Yeah, I can do that." He sighed. "How much time we got left? I feel like we could be working the streets, finding crime."

"After this. Though we'll be late in getting back."

"That's fine."

After an uneventful two hours worth of idle chatter, there came a knock at the door letting them know their time was up and they'd have to pay more if they wanted more time. So the two got up, Motoko quickly mussed up her hair and clothes as well as Keitaro's, and left.

They found a dark alley, nearby, to change in. "Come on," Keitaro exhorted, "let's make tonight count."

Motoko giggled.

The two did not find any crime that night and eventually had to admit defeat, returning to the dorms. Upon entering, the lights flicked on and an irate Naru and bemused Kitsune were waiting for them.

"Where have you two been all night?" Naru grilled them.

Keitaro blinked and looked at Motoko who looked at him. "What's all this?" he asked her.

Motoko shrugged. "I don't know." She then addressed Naru. "There was a Kendo exhibit I had wanted to go to and since Keitaro is my practice dummy, I made him go to."

Naru scowled. "Those things don't end so late!"

Motoko glared. "It ran a little late. Afterwards, we just got to talking and I felt hungry and Keitaro wanted ramen."

Keitaro nodded. "And there was this old theater by the ramen place, and it had a midnight showing of an old Kurosawa movie. And I was like 'Hey, a samurai flick. How appropriate.' and it turns out Motoko is a big fan of Kurosawa. So we got to watching the movie. Then, instead of the train, since it was so nice out, we walked back. Honestly, we just lost track of time."

"Likely story," Naru groused, but she couldn't find fault with it. She merely suspected it was a lie.

Kitsune grinned. "I would not peg you, Motoko, to be the one Keitaro ends up with."

Motoko grimaced. "Me? With that lascivious oaf? Never! I rather be boiled alive first."

"Gee, thanks," Keitaro hung his head.

Naru rolled her eyes. "Is that why you been taking it easy on him in the mornings and dragging him along to exhibitions?"

"The deal was he helps me spar. He's useless if he can't put up a fight."

"He's useless to begin with," Naru exploded. "And you," she rounded on the poor manager. "You know better than to try to seduce someone so young."

"It's not like that," Keitaro stammered. "we're just friends."

Naru grumbled. "Fine whatever, I'm going to bed. Oh yeah, you got school tomorrow."

Kitsune leered at the two. "So, what's he like in bed?"

Motoko turned her nose up and walked away.

Keitaro sighed. "Good night, Kitsune." Then he too left to go to bed.

In a ritzy penthouse, Nobabunga was relaxing in a hot tub with five very gorgeous, and young, women when one of his lackeys came in.

"Sorry to interrupt, boss. But we just got word from Little Ryu that he saw that Dumb-Ass creep walking about town with that partner of his. Thought you'd like to know right away."

Nobabunga nodded his head. "That is most distressing. Send Yukyorei and Saehichi in here, we got some planning to do." The two, who were waiting by the door, entered. "Alright, ideas boys?"

Saehichi nodded. "Let's dress up one of our detainees to look like him and leave his dead body out on the streets to send a message."

"I like it," the boss replied, "except ... if we can dress up someone to look like him, why not have our guy smear his name by going around and causing trouble."

Yukyorei smirked. "We'll make it happen, boss."

Author Notes: Yep, the only reason our heroes are ineffectively going to love hotels is so they can be caught going to a love hotel by the other tenants. At least they'll get to meet pimps!